Then and Now: The Daffodil Festival

As the , many local fields were replaced by stylish bulbs, most notably daffodils. As the fields burst with yellow blossoms on the afternoon of April 6, 1926, Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Orton hosted an extravagant party on their estate in rural Sumner to display the many varieties of bulbs and flowers. There were guests from all over Western Washington, including the mayors of Seattle and Tacoma, the Base Commander on Fort Lewis and many leaders and prominent families from 125 different towns. This party was a hit and became the fashionable event to attend each spring. 

 The flowers became well-known in the region, drawing large crowds from the cities to tour the yellow fields by car. The designated spring day became known as Bulb Sunday for many years. With this popularity came traffic on farm roads and crowding in the small towns, unaccustomed to such attention. In 1932, over 8,000 cars filled with visitors overwhelmed the towns of Sumner, Orting, and Puyallup with traffic. It soon became evident that the rural community was on to something special and the public’s love and adoration needed organization.

In 1934, the Daffodil Parade was born with a modest budget of $600. The Procession, as it was called at the time, relied heavily on local business owners and community organizations to decorate cars, horses, and floats. This was an impressive example of community unity. 

The parade was slow to start, as families and businesses were just recovering from the Great Depression. During that same year, the first Royal Court was crowned but no official contest was held. Mrs. Elizabeth Lee Wooten was selected to be crowned Queen by the Puyallup city lawyer as he saw her pass by his office window. During the early days of the festival, the queen had to be from either Puyallup or Sumner, which are still considered to be the birthplace of the local daffodil tradition.

The very next year, a formal competition was held to choose the Queen and her Royal Court. Sumner resident Margaret Thomas was 23-years-old when she was crowned Queen in 1935. Both the Queen and her attendants were shocked with a sprinkling of snow on the morning of that parade day, which followed the same basic route it does today. 

This year, we will celebrate our community coming together for the. And it’s not just the name that has grown over the past eight decades -- the fashionable party an estate in  Sumner has grown into a festival that truly lasts all year. 

The royal court competitions begin the fall prior to the actual festival, with crowning and promenade festivities in February. The  now host several tea parties for young princesses in the community and attend other events in their official role as representatives of the festival. Among other appearances, the   represent their hometown traditions in 16 community and city festivals across the state of Washington on the official Traveling Float. 

The Junior Parade in Tacoma, which will be 50-years-old this year, is a day just for the kids and starts off the actual daffodil events. The Mutt Show, also focused on keeping our youth involved in daffodil traditions, brings children and their dogs together with costumes and daffodil pride. Winners of the Mutt Show are chosen by the royal court and featured in the junior parade.   

The 59th Annual Marine Regatta, which will host 160 guest boats this year, is better known as the Marine Parade. This event, now hosted by the Tacoma Yacht Club, started as a way to re-use the daffodils from the street parade. It is now a huge annual affair, as Ruston Way is filled with visitors watching boats parade past the waterfront.

The festivities have been a constant community showcase for thousands of visitors over these many years. However, there was no parade or festival in the years 1943, 1944, and 1945 due to the rationing and community focus on World War II. Raising funds for the past several years has once again become more difficult for the festival, which is a non-profit organization. 

The main event this Saturday will bring history and tradition in the form of a good old fashioned flower parade from Tacoma to Puyallup to Sumner and finally in end Orting. Join Patch as we celebrate one of our oldest local traditions!